4:9 Again, however, pay very careful attention, 11 lest you forget the things you have seen and disregard them for the rest of your life; instead teach them to your children and grandchildren.
4:25 After you have produced children and grandchildren and have been in the land a long time, 12 if you become corrupt and make an image of any kind 13 and do other evil things before the Lord your God that enrage him, 14
15:7 If a fellow Israelite 61 from one of your villages 62 in the land that the Lord your God is giving you should be poor, you must not harden your heart or be insensitive 63 to his impoverished condition. 64
15:19 You must set apart 67 for the Lord your God every firstborn male born to your herds and flocks. You must not work the firstborn of your bulls or shear the firstborn of your flocks.
16:18 You must appoint judges and civil servants 72 for each tribe in all your villages 73 that the Lord your God is giving you, and they must judge the people fairly. 74
17:8 If a matter is too difficult for you to judge – bloodshed, 81 legal claim, 82 or assault 83 – matters of controversy in your villages 84 – you must leave there and go up to the place the Lord your God chooses. 85
17:14 When you come to the land the Lord your God is giving you and take it over and live in it and then say, “I will select a king like all the nations surrounding me,”
20:16 As for the cities of these peoples that 86 the Lord your God is going to give you as an inheritance, you must not allow a single living thing 87 to survive.
22:9 You must not plant your vineyard with two kinds of seed; otherwise the entire yield, both of the seed you plant and the produce of the vineyard, will be defiled. 94
24:7 If a man is found kidnapping a person from among his fellow Israelites, 95 and regards him as mere property 96 and sells him, that kidnapper 97 must die. In this way you will purge 98 evil from among you.
28:25 “The Lord will allow you to be struck down before your enemies; you will attack them from one direction but flee from them in seven directions and will become an object of terror 104 to all the kingdoms of the earth.
33:8 Of Levi he said:
Your Thummim and Urim 119 belong to your godly one, 120
whose authority you challenged at Massah, 121
and with whom you argued at the waters of Meribah. 122
1 tn Heb “command” (so KJV, NASB); NRSV “charge the people as follows.”
2 tn Heb “brothers”; NAB “your kinsmen.”
3 sn The descendants of Esau (Heb “sons of Esau”; the phrase also occurs in 2:8, 12, 22, 29). These are the inhabitants of the land otherwise known as Edom, south and east of the Dead Sea. Jacob’s brother Esau had settled there after his bitter strife with Jacob (Gen 36:1-8). “Edom” means “reddish,” probably because of the red sandstone of the region, but also by popular etymology because Esau, at birth, was reddish (Gen 25:25).
4 tn The Hebrew text does not have the first person pronoun; it has been supplied for purposes of English style (the Lord is speaking here).
5 tn Heb “all the work of your hands.”
6 tn Heb “he has.” This has been converted to first person in the translation in keeping with English style.
7 tn Heb “known” (so ASV, NASB); NAB “been concerned about.”
8 tn Heb “the
9 tn Heb “the
10 tn Heb “which you are crossing over there.”
11 tn Heb “watch yourself and watch your soul carefully.”
12 tn Heb “have grown old in the land,” i.e., been there for a long time.
13 tn Heb “a form of anything.” Cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV, TEV “an idol.”
14 tn The infinitive construct is understood here as indicating the result, not the intention, of their actions.
15 tn Heb “the
16 tn Heb “he will not drop you,” i.e., “will not abandon you” (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
17 tn Or “will not.” The translation understands the imperfect verbal form to have an added nuance of capability here.
18 tn The Hebrew verb used here (חָמַד, khamad) is different from the one translated “crave” (אָוַה, ’avah) in the next line. The former has sexual overtones (“lust” or the like; cf. Song of Sol 2:3) whereas the latter has more the idea of a desire or craving for material things.
19 tn Heb “your neighbor’s.” See note on the term “fellow man” in v. 19.
20 tn Heb “your neighbor’s.” The pronoun is used in the translation for stylistic reasons.
21 tn Heb “or anything that is your neighbor’s.”
22 tn Heb “upright.”
23 tn Heb “the
24 sn Sacred pillars. The Hebrew word (מַצֵּבֹת, matsevot) denotes a standing pillar, usually made of stone. Its purpose was to mark the presence of a shrine or altar thought to have been visited by deity. Though sometimes associated with pure worship of the
25 sn Sacred Asherah poles. A leading deity of the Canaanite pantheon was Asherah, wife/sister of El and goddess of fertility. She was commonly worshiped at shrines in or near groves of evergreen trees, or, failing that, at places marked by wooden poles (Hebrew אֲשֵׁרִים [’asherim], as here). They were to be burned or cut down (Deut 12:3; 16:21; Judg 6:25, 28, 30; 2 Kgs 18:4).
26 tn That is, “set apart.”
27 tn Heb “the
28 tn Or “treasured” (so NIV, NRSV); NLT “his own special treasure.” The Hebrew term סְגֻלָּה (sÿgullah) describes Israel as God’s choice people, those whom he elected and who are most precious to him (cf. Exod 19:4-6; Deut 14:2; 26:18; 1 Chr 29:3; Ps 135:4; Eccl 2:8 Mal 3:17). See E. Carpenter, NIDOTTE 3:224.
29 tn Heb “come under the ban” (so NASB); NRSV “be set apart for destruction.” The same phrase occurs again at the end of this verse.
sn The Hebrew word translated an object of divine wrath (חֵרֶם, kherem) refers to persons or things placed under God’s judgment, usually to the extent of their complete destruction. See note on the phrase “divine judgment” in Deut 2:34.
30 tn Or “like it is.”
31 tn This Hebrew verb (שָׁקַץ, shaqats) is essentially synonymous with the next verb (תָעַב, ta’av; cf. תּוֹעֵבָה, to’evah; see note on the word “abhorrent” in v. 25), though its field of meaning is more limited to cultic abomination (cf. Lev 11:11, 13; Ps 22:25).
32 tn Heb “detesting you must detest and abhorring you must abhor.” Both verbs are preceded by a cognate infinitive absolute indicating emphasis.
33 tn The Hebrew term may refer to “food” in a more general sense (cf. NASB, NCV, NLT) or “bread” in particular (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV).
34 sn A land whose stones are iron. Since iron deposits are few and far between in Palestine, the reference here is probably to iron ore found in mines as opposed to the meteorite iron more commonly known in that area.
35 tn Heb “stiff-necked” (so KJV, NAB, NIV).
sn The Hebrew word translated stubborn means “stiff-necked.” The image is that of a draft animal that is unsubmissive to the rein or yoke and refuses to bend its neck to draw the load. This is an apt description of OT Israel (Exod 32:9; 33:3, 5; 34:9; Deut 9:13).
36 tn Heb “the
37 tn Heb “Lord
38 tn Heb “your inheritance”; NLT “your special (very own NRSV) possession.” Israel is compared to landed property that one would inherit from his ancestors and pass on to his descendants.
39 tn Heb “you have redeemed in your greatness.”
40 tn Heb “by your strong hand.”
41 tn Heb “if hearing, you will hear.” The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute to emphasize the verbal idea. The translation renders this emphasis with the word “close.”
42 tn Again, the Hebrew term אָהַב (’ahav) draws attention to the reciprocation of divine love as a condition or sign of covenant loyalty (cf. Deut 6:5).
43 tn Heb “heart and soul” or “heart and being.” See note on the word “being” in Deut 6:5.
44 tn Heb “this commandment.” See note at Deut 5:30.
45 tn Heb “commanding you to do it.” For stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy, “giving” has been used in the translation and “to do it” has been left untranslated.
46 tn Heb “walk in all his ways” (so KJV, NIV); TEV “do everything he commands.”
47 tn Heb “destroying you must destroy”; KJV “Ye shall utterly (surely ASV) destroy”; NRSV “must demolish completely.” The Hebrew infinitive absolute precedes the verb for emphasis, which is reflected in the translation by the words “by all means.”
48 sn Every leafy tree. This expression refers to evergreens which, because they keep their foliage throughout the year, provided apt symbolism for nature cults such as those practiced in Canaan. The deity particularly in view is Asherah, wife of the great god El, who was considered the goddess of fertility and whose worship frequently took place at shrines near or among clusters (groves) of such trees (see also Deut 7:5). See J. Hadley, NIDOTTE 1:569-70; J. DeMoor, TDOT 1:438-44.
49 sn Sacred pillars. These are the stelae (stone pillars; the Hebrew term is מַצֵּבֹת, matsevot) associated with Baal worship, perhaps to mark a spot hallowed by an alleged visitation of the gods. See also Deut 7:5.
50 sn Sacred Asherah poles. The Hebrew term (plural) is אֲשֵׁרִים (’asherim). See note on the word “(leafy) tree” in v. 2, and also Deut 7:5.
51 tn Heb “heave offerings of your hand.”
52 tn Heb “within your gates” (so KJV, NASB); NAB “who belongs to your community.”
53 sn They have no allotment or inheritance with you. See note on the word “inheritance” in Deut 10:9.
54 tn Heb “men, sons of Belial.” The Hebrew term בְּלִיַּעַל (bÿliyya’al) has the idea of worthlessness, without morals or scruples (HALOT 133-34 s.v.). Cf. NAB, NRSV “scoundrels”; TEV, CEV “worthless people”; NLT “worthless rabble.”
55 tc The LXX and Tg read “your” for the MT’s “their.”
56 tn The translation understands the relative clause as a statement by Moses, not as part of the quotation from the evildoers. See also v. 2.
57 tn Or “set apart.”
58 tn Heb “The
59 tn Or “treasured.” The Hebrew term סְגֻלָּה (sÿgullah) describes Israel as God’s choice people, those whom he elected and who are most precious to him (cf. Exod 19:4-6; Deut 14:2; 26:18; 1 Chr 29:3; Ps 135:4; Eccl 2:8 Mal 3:17). See E. Carpenter, NIDOTTE 3:224.
sn The Hebrew term translated “select” (and the whole verse) is reminiscent of the classic covenant text (Exod 19:4-6) which describes Israel’s entry into covenant relationship with the
60 tc The MT lacks (probably by haplography) the phrase וְשֹׁסַע שֶׁסַע פַּרְסָה (vÿshosa’ shesa’ parsah, “and is clovenfooted,” i.e., “has parted hooves”), a phrase found in the otherwise exact parallel in Lev 11:7. The LXX and Smr attest the longer reading here. The meaning is, however, clear without it.
61 tn Heb “one of your brothers” (so NASB); NAB “one of your kinsmen”; NRSV “a member of your community.” See the note at v. 2.
62 tn Heb “gates.”
63 tn Heb “withdraw your hand.” Cf. NIV “hardhearted or tightfisted” (NRSV and NLT similar).
64 tn Heb “from your needy brother.”
65 tn The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute for emphasis, which the translation indicates with “make sure.”
66 tn Heb “your brother.”
67 tn Heb “sanctify” (תַּקְדִּישׁ, taqdish), that is, put to use on behalf of the
68 tn Heb “the Passover.” The translation uses a pronoun to avoid redundancy in English.
69 tc The MT reading אֶל (’el, “unto”) before “the place” should, following Smr, Syriac, Targums, and Vulgate, be omitted in favor of ב (bet; בַּמָּקוֹם, bammaqom), “in the place.”
70 tn Heb “the
71 tn Heb “in your gates.”
72 tn The Hebrew term וְשֹׁטְרִים (vÿshoterim), usually translated “officers” (KJV, NCV) or “officials” (NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT), derives from the verb שֹׁטֵר (shoter, “to write”). The noun became generic for all types of public officials. Here, however, it may be appositionally epexegetical to “judges,” thus resulting in the phrase, “judges, that is, civil officers,” etc. Whoever the שֹׁטְרִים are, their task here consists of rendering judgments and administering justice.
73 tn Heb “gates.”
74 tn Heb “with judgment of righteousness”; ASV, NASB “with righteous judgment.”
75 tn Heb “gates.”
76 tn Heb “does the evil in the eyes of the
77 tn Heb “gates.”
78 tn Heb “stone them with stones so that they die” (KJV similar); NCV “throw stones at that person until he dies.”
79 tn Heb “the hand of the witnesses.” This means the two or three witnesses are to throw the first stones (cf. NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT).
80 tn Heb “the hand of all the people.”
81 tn Heb “between blood and blood.”
82 tn Heb “between claim and claim.”
83 tn Heb “between blow and blow.”
84 tn Heb “gates.”
85 tc Several Greek recensions add “to place his name there,” thus completing the usual formula to describe the central sanctuary (cf. Deut 12:5, 11, 14, 18; 16:6). However, the context suggests that the local Levitical towns, and not the central sanctuary, are in mind.
86 tn The antecedent of the relative pronoun is “cities.”
87 tn Heb “any breath.”
88 tn The Hebrew term בִּעַרְתָּה (bi’artah), here and elsewhere in such contexts (cf. Deut 13:5; 17:7, 12; 19:19; 21:9), suggests God’s anger which consumes like fire (thus בָעַר, ba’ar, “to burn”). See H. Ringgren, TDOT 2:203-4.
89 tc Some LXX traditions read הַנִּשְׁאָרִים (hannish’arim, “those who remain”) for the MT’s יִשְׂרָאֵל (yisra’el, “Israel”), understandable in light of Deut 19:20. However, the more difficult reading found in the MT is more likely original.
90 tn Heb “you must not see.” See note at 22:1.
91 tn Heb “and (must not) hide yourself from them.”
92 tn The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute for emphasis, which the translation indicates with “be sure.”
93 tn Heb “help him to lift them up.” In keeping with English style the singular is used in the translation, and the referent (“the animal”) has been specified for clarity.
94 tn Heb “set apart.” The verb קָדַשׁ (qadash) in the Qal verbal stem (as here) has the idea of being holy or being treated with special care. Some take the meaning as “be off-limits, forfeited,” i.e., the total produce of the vineyard, both crops and grapes, have to be forfeited to the sanctuary (cf. Exod 29:37; 30:29; Lev 6:18, 27; Num 16:37-38; Hag 2:12).
95 tn Heb “from his brothers, from the sons of Israel.” The terms “brothers” and “sons of Israel” are in apposition; the second defines the first more specifically.
96 tn Or “and enslaves him.”
97 tn Heb “that thief.”
98 tn Heb “burn.” See note on the word “purge” in Deut 19:19.
99 tn Or “just”; Heb “righteous.”
100 sn See Exod 17:8-16.
101 tn Heb “the
102 sn These practices suggest overtones of pagan ritual, all of which the confessor denies having undertaken. In Canaan they were connected with fertility practices associated with harvest time. See E. H. Merrill, Deuteronomy (NAC), 335-36.
103 tn Heb “the
104 tc The meaningless MT reading זַעֲוָה (za’avah) is clearly a transposition of the more commonly attested Hebrew noun זְוָעָה (zÿva’ah, “terror”).
105 tn Heb “from the end of the earth.”
106 tn Some translations understand this to mean “like an eagle swoops down” (e.g., NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT), comparing the swift attack of an eagle to the attack of the Israelites’ enemies.
107 tn Heb “you will not be confident in your life.” The phrase “from one day to the next” is implied by the following verse.
108 tn Heb “in order to establish you today to him for a people and he will be to you for God.” Verses 10-13 are one long sentence in Hebrew. The translation divides this into two sentences for stylistic reasons.
109 tn Heb “fathers” (also in v. 25).
110 tn Heb “circumcise” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “will give you and your descendents obedient hearts.” See note on the word “cleanse” in Deut 10:16.
111 tn Heb “seed” (so KJV, ASV).
112 tn Heb “the
113 tn Heb “to the
114 tn The phrase “this law” is not in the Hebrew text, but English style requires an object for the verb here. Other translations also supply the object which is otherwise implicit (cf. NIV “who do not know this law”; TEV “who have never heard the Law of the Lord your God”).
115 tn Heb “he.” Since the pronoun could be taken to refer to Moses, the referent has been specified as “the
116 tc The LXX reads, “as the
117 tn The use of the plural (“you”) in the Hebrew text suggests that Moses and Aaron are both in view here, since both had rebelled at some time or other, if not at Meribah Kadesh then elsewhere (cf. Num 20:24; 27:14).
118 tn Heb “did not esteem me holy.” Cf. NIV “did not uphold my holiness”; NLT “failed to demonstrate my holiness.”
119 sn Thummim and Urim. These terms, whose meaning is uncertain, refer to sacred stones carried in a pouch on the breastplate of the high priest and examined on occasion as a means of ascertaining God’s will or direction. See Exod 28:30; Lev 8:8; Num 27:21; 1 Sam 28:6. See also C. Van Dam, NIDOTTE 1:329-31.
120 tn Heb “godly man.” The reference is probably to Moses as representative of the whole tribe of Levi.
121 sn Massah means “testing” in Hebrew; the name is a wordplay on what took place there. Cf. Exod 17:7; Deut 6:16; 9:22; Ps 95:8-9.
122 sn Meribah means “contention, argument” in Hebrew; this is another wordplay on the incident that took place there. Cf. Num 20:13, 24; Ps 106:32.
123 tn Heb “seed” (so KJV, ASV).
124 tn The Hebrew text includes “with your eyes,” but this is redundant in English and is left untranslated.